Cheese-cutter.



No. 673,78l. Patented May 7, IBM.

P. S. MGCROSKEY.

CHEESE CUTTER.

(Application filed Aug. 25, 1900. (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shoat rn-A nmunmnmmmm!In u n 1 INVENTOR PAY. MZroskey A77'0HNEYS Patented May 7,|90l P. S. McGROSKEY.

CHEESE CUTTER.

(No Model.)

(Application filed Aug. 25, 1900 BY w A TTOHNEYJ m: "cams mans co.Pumou'rud wAsnmuYom n c.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 673,781 Patented May 7, mm. P. s. mcnosxzv.

-CHEESE CUTTER.

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WITNESSES. I v INVENTOH M jwifl rasisey amfl P. S. MGCROSKEY.

CHEESE GUT-TEE.

(Application filed Aug. 25, 1900.

Patented May I, IQO I.

v(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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PHILIP S. MOGROSKEY, OF LOGAN, KANSAS.

CHEESE-CUTTER.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,781, dated May '7,1901.

Application filed August 25, 1900. Serial No. 28,058. \No model.)

To a whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that I, PHILIP S. MoORosKEY, residing at Logan, in the countyof Phillips and State of Kansas, have invented a new and ImprovedCheese-Cutter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that type of cheese-cuttershaving a suitable supporting-base, a cutter, gage devices, and means foradj ustably setting the said devices, whereby to regulate the quantityor size of the slice to be out.

Primarily this invention seeks to provide a cheese holder and cutter ofthe character described particularly arranged for cutting the cheeseinto slices of a predetermined valnefor example, five-cent slices ormultiples thereof, instead of pounds and ounces, as is usual andgenerically it comprehends a novel means for setting the gage devicesindicating five, ten, fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five cent cutsrelatively to such positions as the gross value of the cheese may makenecessary.

This invention also includes in its complete make-up a novelconstruction of cutting mechanism cooperatively arranged with a rotarycheese carrier or holder in such manner that when the cutter is returnedto its normal position the cheese will be properly moved to bring it inposition for the next cut, a cheese-centering means also forming acomponent part of my invention, said means being easily manipulated,whereby to bring the cheese in a proper position upon the carrier orholder so its circumferential edge will be so held as to effect a properoperation of the cutting mechanism.

My invention also comprises amongits characteristic features simplicityof construction, ease of operation, and [he no less desirable quality ofproviding a cheese holding and cutting means capable of receivingcheeses of different sizes and in which the cuttersetting-gage devicescan be set for cutting up the cheese in the proper slices of apredetermined value-in other words, in which the gage devices can beadjusted correspondingly to the gross value of the cheese.

In its more subordinate features my invention consists in certaindetails of construction and novel arrangement of parts,

all of which will be first described in detail and then specificallypointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved cheese holder and cutter. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of thesame, the adjustment of the cheese-centering device being shown indotted lines, the combined center rod and knife-guide being'removed.Fig. 3 is a crosssection of the same, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1, with the center rod and knifeguide in place. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 looking in thedirection of the arrow at. Fig. 5 is a similar view looking in thedirection of the arrow 1), the base or platform being at its initialposition, the device for holding the platform from rotating being alsoin its initial or looking position. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical plan viewillustrating the position of the locking devices after the first slicehas been cut from the cheese, said devices now forming a clamp forengaging one of the cut edges of the cheese. Fig. 7 is an enlarged planview of that part of the appliance having the gages and gagesettingmechanism. Fig. 8 is a rear elevation, partly in section, of such parts.Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8. Fig.'10 is a similar viewtaken on the line 1O 10 of Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a section of a modifiedform of gear devices, taken practically on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8. Fig.12 is a detail view, parts being in section, illustrating thecuttersetting devices and their connection with the rotary base andcheese-carrier; and Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one of thegage-plates detached. Fig. 14 is a detail view of the detent device forengaging the cut edge of the cheese.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like numeralsrepresent like parts in all the figures, 1 designatesa suitable base,upon which is secured a segmental plate 2, having a serrated or toothedperiphery, as indicated at 2, the purpose of which will hereinafterappear.

Upon the bottom 1 is secured a metal piece consisting of tworadially-projecting arms 3 3, the ends of which are bent up at rightangles to form vertical standards 3, said piece also having anupwardly-projecting central socket 3 which receives the lower end of thecombined center rod and knife-guide 4, said socket 3 also forming acentral bearing, upon which the base or cheese-carrier platform 5rotates, said carrier being held steady in its rotary action by reasonof its resting at one side on the annular flange 7, projecting up fromthe base, and the arm 8, hereinafter again referred to.

9 indicates a metal member having radial arms 9 9, which terminate inpendent portions arranged to engage the upper ends of the standards 3,to which they are secured by the nuts and bolts 10. The member 9 alsohas a pendent hollow hub 9 which extends over the hub 3 on the lowermetal piece to the said hub 9, passing through the sheetmetal circulartop plate 11, made fast to the under side of the arms Eli-and upon thesaid hub 9 is held a rotatable gear 12,with which a number of segmentalrack members 13 engage, each of which is pivotally secured to the underside of plate 11 to swing in a horizontalplane, as best shown in Fig. 4,by reference to which it will be observed the members 13 are so pivotedand held to engage the pinion 12 in such manner that when any one of thesaid members 13 is swung upon its pivot the others, by the rotary motionof the pinion 12,will move in unison therewith. Each member 13 has apendent leg 14 at one corner, which extends down below the top of thecheese to engage the sides thereof, and one of the members 13 has anextended handle 13 which is so curved that when it is turned in to itsnormal position it will lie under the top plate 11, as clearly shown inthe drawings.

It will be seen in- Fig. 2, should the handle 3 be turned out in thedirection indicated by the arrow, the members 13 will swing in adirection to bring their pendent legs 14 toward the center or axial lineof the cheesecarrier 5 and in consequence they will move the cheese insuch manner as to bring it in a 'proper central position. After beingthus set the cheese is held in a steady position by the center rod andguide member 4, which is slipped down through the hollow socket 9through the center of the cheese, its lower end seating in the bottomsocket 3 After the member 4 is inserted the members 13 are swung back totheir normal position.

designates a swinging knife-carrying frame comprising a bottom arm 8, avertically-slotted standard 7*, and an upper inwardly-extending arm 7,which lies in a plane over the bottom arm 8, the said arms 8 and 7being respectively fulcrumed on the lower socket 3 and the upper pendenthub 9 such arrangement of parts providing for swinging the knife-carrierin the arc of a circle, the reason of which will presently appear. Theouter end of the arm 8 is held to travel over the segmental guide 2, andto the said outer end is connected a thumb-piece 7, having a spring-pawl7, which engages the serrated or tooth edge of the member 2.

Upon the upper arm 7 is slidably held a latch 16, having a bifurcatedend 16 to engage the squared portion 4? of the rod 4, said latch havingfor its purpose to hold the rod from turning and also from working upout of its lower socket-bearing.

17 designates a spring-pawl carried in the standard 7, which engages thetoothed edge of the rotary cheese-carrier 5, and 18 is a holdback pawl,which also engages the said edge, as shown.

19 designates a pointer on the swinging guide-carrier, the purpose ofwhich will presently appear.

The knife-blade 20 is held to move vertically through the cheese, andits inner end engages and is held to slide in a vertical groove 4 in themember 4. The outer end of the blade has a heel-block 20 held to slidein the slotted standard 7, and the upper outer edge of the said blockhas apertured cars 20", in which is pivotally held the lower end of thetoggle or link members 21, the upper ends of which are pivotallyconnected to the sliding head 22, which forms a part of theoperating-handle, said head being also held to slide in the slottedstandard 7, it also being held to oscillate therein, and for suchpurpose the outer end of the head has rockerbearing shoulders 23 toengagethe outer edges of the standard 7, as shown. The inner end of thehead 22 carries a pivoted pawl 2 t,which projects upward and engages therack-faces 7 01": the standard 7.

By providing the knife holding and operating means as described theblade can be forced down by leverage-power by simply oscillating thehandle 25 so its pawl will engage with the rack-faces of the standard.To lift the blade, the head of the handle is adjusted to hold the pawldisengaged from the rackfaces, and when thus held the head, togetherwith the blade, can be quickly slid upward.

Now comes an important part of myinventionthe means for setting thespacing-gages to predetermined positions, governed by the size of thegross value of the cheese to be cut up into slices of desired value.

26 denotes an annular metal rim projected up from the base to surroundthe cheese-carrier. Secured t0 the inner side of the rim 26 at the frontor knife-handle side is an inwardly-projecting horizontally-disposedsegmental flange 27, which carries a series of vertically-projecting andparallel segmental flanges 28, between which a series of segmentalchannels or guideways 29 are formed, five of said channels being shownin the drawlugs.

In each of the guideways 29 is held for longitudinal movement agage-plate 30. These plates are concentrically arranged and held toslide longitudinally within their guidechannels and independently ofeach other, and for such purpose they are operated by suitable gearmechanism, which in turn is operated by the finger or winged nut 35.Each of the plates carries at one end an indicator upon which isexpressed a given amount. For example, the inner one of the plates 30has a five-cent indicator, the next plate a ten-cent indicator, the nextindicating fifteen cents, the next twenty, and the outermost one is atwenty-five-cent indicator.

It should be here stated that in setting the plates 30 they are to movetogether; but the gear devices for operating them (each is set in motionby manipulating the finger member are so arranged to impart adifierential movement to the entire series of plates 30, whereby whenthe inner plate shall reach the limit of its predetermined movement thenext plate will have covered twice the distance, the third plate threetimes the distance, and the fifth plate five times the distance.

The gear mechanism for imparting a differential but synchronous movementto the several gage plates or slides may be in the nature of a train ofgears of suitable diameter and held to inter-mesh with each other, asillustrated in Fig. 8; but for compactness and economy in construction Iprovide a single shaft 40, upon the outer end of which is fixedlysecured the winged or turning nut, hereinbefore referred to. The shaftextends transversely of the indicator slide-plates, and upon the saidshaft is fixedly held a series of cog-wheels 42, 43, 44, 45, and 46, theones 43, 44, 45, and 46 being, respectively, two, three, four, and fivetimes the diameter of the wheel 1 plus proportion of the difference inthe diameter or circle of the several slides which each one controls,the several cog-wheels engaging the under or rack faces of the severalslides, as clearly shown in Fig. 11. One of the gage-slides also engageswith a cog-gear 48, held on the shaft 49, that carries on its outer enda pointer 50, which moves over the dial 51, upon which is indicateddifferent prices representing the value of different sizes of cheese.

Having thus described the detailed construction of my improvement, themanner of its operation is best explained as follows: Assuming the priceof cheese to be twenty cents a pound and the whole cheese to weighfifteen pounds, the gross value of the cheese is then three dollars andthe cheese is divisible into sixty five-cent slices. The price of thecheese being known, the operator manipulating the winged or finger nutturns thetrain of gears, and thereby shifts the gage-slides outwarduntil the pointer over the dial registers with the $3.00 mark thereon.The gear devices having a predetermined movement during such operation,the several gage-slides are now so disposed relatively to each other andthe cheese that the five-cent slide will extend from a given or normalline one-sixtieth the circumference of the cheese, the ten-cent gageone-thirtieth, the fifteen-cent gage one-twentieth, and thetwenty-live-cent gage onetwelfth the distance of the circumference ofthe cheese.

The cheese after being properly weighed is placed upon a rotary carrierand centered by the centering devices, hereinbefore fully described, andheld in a true position by the center-rod and guide member 4. Thecarrier, with the cheese, is then temporarily held from turning by meansof a detent device (illustrated in detail in Fig. 14) consisting of ashort rod 52, havingits opposite ends bent, as at 52 52 One end 52 ofthe rod is made to engage an apertured ear 53, (see Fig. 5,) forming apart of the upwardly-projecting rim-wheel. The other end 52 of the saidrod engages a socket 55 in the top of the cheese-carrier. The cheesebeing thus held from turning, a radial cut is made by working the knifedown through it, it being understood that the knife at this time is atits innermost or normal position. The initial cut havingthus been made,the end 52 of the rod 52 is disengaged from the ear 53 and the said endis fitted into a second socket 53 in the top of the carrier, held in aradial line with the socket 5.4. 57 designates a clamp member suitablyheld upon the rod 52 and adjustably secured thereon by means ofserrations 52 The clamp member 57 after the cheese has received itsinitial out is held against the forward free edge thereof to clamp thesaid end and hold it in a proper position. Now, assuming that thepurchaser Wants five cents worth of cheese, the knifecarrier is swung tothe left until its pointer 19 comes into register with the gage-platehaving an indicator 5, (see Fig. 1,) after which'the slice is cut byproperly manipulating the knife, and after the cheese-slice is removedthe knife-carrier is swung back to the right'to its normal position.(Shown in Fig. 1.) The pawl 17 at this time engages the toothed edge ofthe carrier and rotates the said carrier forward a distance equal toone-sixtieth of a complete revolution, it being manifest that had thecut been for a twenty-five-cent slice the rotation of the carrier whenthe knife is swung back to its normal position would have been fivetimes asgreat, or one-twelfth of a complete rotation.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with theaccompanyingdrawings,itisthought the advantages of myinvention will bereadily apparent. One of the advantages is that the appliance can bequickly set to cut slices of a predetermined value accurately fromcheeses of different gross values. Thus should the cheese be worth twodollars and fifty cents instead of three dollars, as before stated, thewinged nut would be turned only until the pointer is over the $2.50 markupon the dial. The several gage-slides during such manipulation of thewinged nut and the carrier operating thereby would be so set that thedifference in the spaces between them would be one=iiftieth of theentire circumfcrence of the rim held coincident to the circumference ofthe cheese.

By providing a slidable clamp to engage the outer out edge of the cheesesaid clamp can be readily slid backward or forward, so as to properlyengage with cheeses of different diameters, thereby materially aiding inholding the cheese in a .proper position until it has been entirely outup.

Changes in the details of construction and arrangement of the severalparts can be made without departing from the scope of the appendedclaims, the cheese-centering devices forming an essential feature ofthis invention, and they cooperate with the other parts thereof, as itis very essential that the cheese be properly centered mechanically uponits carrying-base to effect an accurate cutting of the slices.

It should be stated thatin the practical construction of my inventionthe gage'slides are made of suitable length, and the gear mechanism forsetting them is correspondingly so arranged, in conjunction with thedial, that when the dial-finger 50 has made a complete revolution thegages will be set for a cheese amounting to seventy-five cents in grossvalue. The $1.00 mark is one-quarter of the circle from the 75 mark. The$1.50 mark is opposite the 75 mark, or at one-half of the circle, itbeing understood that as the indicating-marks progress they becomecloser to each other until there is practically no limit to the size ofthe cheese for which the gages may be set to provide for properproportionate cuts or slices of predetermined value.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A cheese-cuttin g mechanism comprising a cheese-holder; a dial uponwhich the gross value of the cheese is indicated, and a setting-fingermovable over the dial and cooperatively connected with the slides; of aseries of adjustable slides circumferentially extensible around thecheese, each slide indicating a predetermined divisional part of thecheese, and forming a gage for the line upon which to cut the cheese.

2. A cheese-cutting mechanism comprising a rotatable cheese-holder; aseries of adjustable gages, each indicating a predetermined divisionalpart of the cheese; said gages extending circumferentially around thecheese; a swinging knife-carrier working in harmony with the saidgage-slides; a knife-projecting radially from the cheese and verticallyslidable in the guide, the guide being connected with the cheese-carrierand adapted to rotate at a predetermined degree, when it, theknifecarrier, is returned to its normal position, as specified.

3. A cheese-cuttingapparatus comprising a carrier; a dial having marksindicating the different cheese values; a series of rotatable guides,said series being movable together; and means for imparting adifferential movement to the said slides, synchronously with the settingof the finger of the dial, said movearm-s1 ment of the gage-slides beinggoverned as to distance by the proper setting of the finger on the dial,as specified.

4. A cheese-cutting mechanism comprising a rotatable cheese-carrier; adial upon which the values of different-sized cheese are shown; a shafthaving a finger traversing said dial; a series of gage-slides movablearound the circumference of the cheese, each havinga predeterminedvalue-sign; and ahand-operated gear mechanism connected with the saidgage slides and the dial-fingeljadapted when prop erly manipulated tosynchronously set the dial-finger and slides and impart differentialdegrees of movement to the gage-slides, for the purposes described.

5. In a cheese-cutting mechanism of the character described, a rotarycheese-holder, a dial having different valuesdenoted thereon; a seriesof concentrically held gage-slides extended partly around the peripheraledge of the cheese; a hand-operating gear mechanism, engaging saidslides aud adapted when rotated to distend the gage-slides topredetermined points; said gear mechanism also engaging with theindex-finger of the dial, and adapted to set the same simultaneouslywith the adjustment of the gage-slides, as specified.

6. The combination with the rotary cheesecarrier; the dial havingdifferent cheese values denoted thereon; and the dial index-finger; of aseries of concentrically-held slides, each having an independentmovement and formed with a rack portion; one of the slides engaging thetoothed wheel on the index-finger shaft; and a rotary shaft having anoperating-handle; a series of gears mounted thereon, engaging the rackportions of the several gage-slides--one gear for each slide; said gearshaving progressively-increasing diameters, the smallest engaging theinnermost one of the gage-slides, as specified.

7. In a cheese-cutting mechanism as described, the combination with therotatable cheese-carrier; and a series of gage-slides for spacing thesize of the cuts; of an oscillating knife-carrying frame held to swingin the arc of a circle, and in close relation to the gageslides; a knifeheld for vertical reciprocation in the frame; a pawl mounted on saidframe to engage the rotary carrier and move it in a forward direction asit, the knife-frame, is

thus moved, substantially as shown and de- 9. In a cheese-cuttingmechanism as described, the combination with the rotary carrier; the topframe, and the swinging knifecarrying frame; of the detachablecenter-rod 4, having a vertical groove, and the knife having a heelportion vertically movable in the frame, and having its front end heldto slide in the groove of the rod 4.

10. In a cheese-cutting mechanism as described, the combination with therotary carrier, the top frame, and the swinging knifecarrying frame; ofthe detachable center-rod 4, said rod having a vertical groove, theknife having a heel portion vertically movable in the frame, and itsfront end held to slide in the groove of the rod 4, and the detachablelocking device for holding the rod to its set position, as specified.

l 1. The combination with the rotary carrier, the gage devices forindicating the different sizes of cuts, and the cutting mechanism; of alever-operated means mounted upon the main frame for centering thecheese on the carrier, said means including the arms 14.

12. The combination with the rotary carrier, the gage devices, and thecutting mechanism; of the cheese-centering means comprising a series ofpendent arms adapted to engage the sides of the cheese, and lever-setgear devices for moving the said arms radially inward and outward, asspecified.

13. In a cheese-cutting mechanism as described; a cheese-centering meanscomprising a pendent hub disposed centrally over the cheese-carrier; anidler-gear loosely j ournaled thereon; aseries of horizontally-disposedsegmental gear-plates engaging the said idlergear, said gear-plateshaving each a pendent member adapted to engage the sides of the cheese,one of said segmental plates having a handle, substantially as shown anddescribed.

14. In a cheese-cutting mechanism as described, the combination with therotary cheese-carrier, having a pair of radially-disposed sockets, andan apertured ear upon a fixed part of the supporting-frame; of themember 52, having hook ends 52 52 and a clamp member slidable thereon,the rod 52, having means for holding the clamp locked at differentadjustments, for the purposes described.

15. In a cheese-cutting mechanism as described, the combination with therotary cheese-carrier, the knife-carrying frame, consisting of the upperand lower radial arms pivotally journaled to swing in the are of acircle over the peripheral edge of the cheese, and the slotted uprightconnected with the radial arms, and the guide-rod 4; of the knife havinga heel portion slidable in the slotted upright, a toggle-link joined tothe upper face of the said heel, a slide-block with which the upper endof the toggle connects, a pawl pivoted upon the inner end of theslide-block, a handle projected rearwardly from the block, a slottedupright having ratchets with which the pawl engages, all being arrangedsubstantially as shown and described.

PHILIP S. MOOROSKEY.

Witnesses:

T. M. SULLIVAN, O. P. PENNINGTON.

